Complaint

[Ogier]

Greetings all,

I have the Maxstar 200 and it seems to suit my needs pretty well. I just got back from my local dealer with my foot controller and have a complaint that I would appreciate being passed on to the powers that be at Miller.

Who is the genius that put such a light duty wire on the foot controller? Where are we going to use a welder? In a metal shop right? Funny thing about metal, it is heavy, stiff and usually sharp. Why would anyone in their right mind put such a chincy POS on an otherwise very nice machine?

In talking to the local dealer, this is the same wire that is used on the "heavy duty" pedal setup as well. Again, WTF are they thinking?

Please, upgrade the wires on all your machines to something that will take the abuse that a metal shop can and does dish out and charge the extra $5-$10 for it. I would have gladly paid that instead of the $85.00 that I had to pay to have my pedal fixed.

[aphexafx]

You paid $85 to have a cable fixed??

No one is going to like the ~wrong mind~ accusations or the POS comments, might tone that down.

I think the controller cables are fine, personally. If you are really frustrated about it, go get yourself a soldering iron and whatever cable you seem to think you need, and rewire it yourself. You can use the existing amphenol or order a new one from Grainger or elsewhere.

They are engineers, and they are thinking about engineering.

Cheers

[KB Fabrications]

No one is going to like the ~wrong mind~ accusations or the POS comments, might tone that down.

Ditto that for me please.

I think the controller cables are fine, personally. If you are really frustrated about it, go get yourself a soldering iron and whatever cable you seem to think you need, and rewire it yourself. You can use the existing amphenol or order a new one from Grainger or elsewhere.

I don't mind those cables either. They are pretty much the same on my lincoln and my miller foot pedal (HD version). Personally, I have the pedals out when I am welding but coil them up and out of the way when not in use so they don't get walked on or rolled over by wheels. Also, I don't have, or leave, loose metal scraps lying around the welding area. My lincoln pedal is three years old and has held up pretty well (my equipment doesn't get babied).

[ASKANDY]

Ogier,

We found that the wires got cut even when they used to be heavier 10 yrs ago. Then the complaint was "why such a heavy cable....there's very little amperage in the control circuit and it's a pain to coil up or move around.

Sorry dude,

Can't please everyone. I can appreciate your concern and will forward your comment. I doubt anything will come of it and the only way to keep people from cutting them is encase them in flex conduit and I KNOW the company won't spring for that.

Thanks for the input.

Andy

[Paul Seaman]

Ogier:
I feel your pain but lets not get testy. I have some SO cable made for really heavy environment but they still can be damaged. If your environment is that tough then here is a suggestion get a spool of the proper diameter rubber hose probably 1/2" {Auto parts store}, disassemble the plug and slip the hose over the cable and reattach the plug and put some wire zip ties every few feet and your problem is covered.

The manfacturer does build them for some abuse but all things have limits, right!

Peace,

[Mike W]

When I made my own foot pedal, I put the cable inside of a piece of air hose. It will take a beating and keep on ticking.

[ASKANDY]

Good idea Mike & PJ

A-

[moe1942]

Go to Wally World auto dept and get some black spiral wire protector. Just wind it on the wire. Don't need to disconnect anything and that stuff is tough. The wire is still very flexible.

[sparky123]

3/8 metal flexible caonduit makes a goood cable prtector. You will need to buy a new plug end because you may hve to cut it off depending on the connections in side the petal.

[cruizer]

I've been replacing the control cables with a eurathane jacketed cable. It's kind of 6 of one or a half dozen of the other theory as you can drop a plate on the eurathane and it won't break, weather, or encounter any abrasion ever, however, it'll melt . On the other ahand a stock cable won't melt, but it'll weather and break with the mildest of contact.

[TheRealSpinner]

cut cord

unrelated to the foot control, but still dealing with sharp metal...

i got my first welder a couple years ago, a hobart handler 135. not that it's important, but i didn't have the money for a bottle, and i was welding outside (no garage), so i got fluxcore.
the first thing i made was a simple "stall" to weld "in". basically, it had 4 flimsey legs, a working surface composed of two 16ga. 5 in. by 2 ft. welded side by side (needless to say this was not a flat surface) with a couple more pieces of similar dimensions surving as wind shields.
as soon as i finished it, i was moving the welder and the "table" fell over and the edge cut through the feeder line. it cut the outer rubber and kinked the inner housing, nothing that a pair of pliers and some electrical tape couldn't take care of though.

i'm still using it now, same liner, same rubber. doesn't matter what the casing is, there are always going to be hazards.